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Printed Resources, Videos, CD's
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Resource From Weimar: "Yiddish Dancing - Jiddische Taenze: Tanzworkshop 28. bis 31. Juli 2007, Volkshaus Weimar", featuring dance instructors Erik Bendix, Helene Domergue-Zilberberg, Andreas Schmitges, and Jill Gellerman. Includes accompanying dance description booklet containing written dance descriptions from Erik Bendix and Andreas Schmitges. The musicians on the video are under the direction of Christian Dawid and Binyomin Ginzberg. Andreas Schmitges' repertoire on the DVD includes: Sher, Hora, Patsh Tants, Sirba, Patsh Tants (easy version), Runde, Moldavinyaska, and Khussidl. Andreas speaks in English on the video, while Erik speaks in German. Most of what Erik says on the video is in his written notes in English, so people who don't understand German won't be missing anything important. Jill speaks in English on the video. To order contact: e-mail yiddish-summer@other-music.net . DVD Contents include: |
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ERIK BENDIX: Terkisher Kolomeyke Karapyet A Yingele, A Maydele Vengerke Korobushka Alexandrovsky (Horon: Alta es la luna) Dos Tsigale |
ANDREAS SCHMITGES: Hora Sher Freylakhs Sirba Runde Moldavinyaska |
JILL GELLERMAN: Freylekhs Medley Korobushka Jerusalem Hora Yevanim Shmelkie's Nigun Abi Me'leibt Yidden |
| + Abschlussball (scenes from the final dance ball) | ||
DVD of a workshop I did
in 2003 in Edmonton is available for order.
Contact me
for details. $10 (USD) + shipping.
Alpert, Michael. 1986. "Freylekhs
on Film: The Portrayal of Jewish
Traditional Dance in Yiddish Cinema," Jewish Folklore and Ethnology
Newsletter 8/3-4: 6-7 and 35.
Discusses the dancing in Yiddish
movies in the 20's, 30's and 40's--which ones appear genuine and which are more
likely artistic creations.
Berk, Fred. 100 Israeli Folk Dances.
2nd edition. New York:
Israel folk Dance department of the American Zionist Youth Foundation, 1983.
A book of dance descriptions contains
some klezmer-style dances but most is more Israeli/Yemenite
style material. All dances are choreographed versions.
Berk, Fred. The Chasidic Dance. US:
Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1975.
This book has a history of Chasidic
dance, information about weddings and customs.
There are also descriptions of choreographed dances. A companion vinyl record
was made to
go with the book and contains music for all the dances.
Beregovski, M. Old Jewish Folk Music:
the Collections and Writings of Moshe Beregovski. Ed.
and Trans. Mark Slobin. Philidelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982,
reprinted in 2000.
Beregovski collected and transcribed numerous
Eastern European folk melodies some of which
are presented in this book. It also has several pages about dances. The
information is interesting as background information
but of course doesn't explain exactly how the dances were done. Touches on
cross influences between the Jewish and
Ukrainian communities.
Budowitz
www.budowitz.com
1) Mother Tongue Music of the 19th Century Klezmorim on Original Instruments cd.
Koch International, 1997.
In addition to being great music, Mother Tongue affords the opportunity of reading
about the origin of the dance genres and then listening to the melodies
(and of course dancing to them). Many of the tracks are based upon the group's
own 120 hours of field recordings. The leader of
this band, Joshua Horowitz, has been very helpful to me, in creating this web page.
2) Wedding Without a Bride cd.
Buda Musique
Musique Du Monde, Paris 2000
The cd and extensive liner notes by Joshua Horowitz, will take
you on a musical journey through a 19th century Galitsian Polish
wedding-beginning with the Tsum Badekns(to the veiling of the bride)
and ending with Firn Di Mekhutonim (leading the in-laws). Background
information on many dances is given. These include the
Broiges Tanz (with an interesting Chasidic version involving combat,
death and return to life), korohod, sirba, sher, mitzvah dance, koilitch tanz and more.
The many customs associated with Jewish Galitsian weddings are discussed in detail.
Cochem, Corinne. Palestine dances! Behrman's Jewish Book House: New York, 1941.
Among other pre-Israeli dances, this book has a version of the Sher.
It is a simplified version but the styling is extremely vigorous.
Freehof, Florence. Jews are a Dancing
People. San Francisco: Stark-Rath Print. and Pub. Co., 1954.
Many thanks to Dick Crum for sending me a number of
dance
descriptions from this book. These seem to be choreographed dances incorporating
Eastern European Jewish motifs and steps. Titles include: Broiges Dance,
Sabbath Dance, Finjan Israeli Waltz, Jewish Wedding Dance, Chassidic and
Mazel Tov Freilach. Some dances were choreographed by Fred Berk.
Friedhaber, Zvi. 1985-86. "The
Dance with the Separating Kerchief," Dance Research Journal 17/2 &
18/1:65-69.
Traces the history of the Mitzvah
Dance. Explains the customs associated with the Mitzvah Dance in different
Jewish communities.
Feldman, Walter. "Bulgareasca/Bulgarish/Bulgar:
The Transformation of a Klezmer Dance Genre,"
Ethnomusicology 38:1 (1994), 1-35.
The title says it all. An in depth
exploration of the topic.
Friedland, LeeEllen. 1985-86. "Tantsn
Is Lebn: Dancing in Eastern European Jewish Culture,"
Dance Research Journal 17/2 & 18/1:77-80.
A discussion of Eastern European Jewish dance focuses mainly on the freylekhs
but also mentions other
dances like the sher. Discusses styling, body position as well as history.
Goodman, Karen. Video "Come
Let Us Dance, Lomir Geyn Tantsn," 2002.
Documentary/demonstration of the Sher and Freylekhs, including settings by
Nathan Vizonsky. Dances are
taught by Miriam Rochlin, a noted member of the Los Angeles Jewish Cultural
community since her
1940 arrival in the US from Germany. To obtain a copy of the video
visit Hatikvah
Music International (credit cards
accepted) or contact Karen
Goodman (for questions or to purchase with cheques/money orders).
Goren, Ayalah. 1986. "The Ethnic
Dance in Israel, with Selected filmography,"
Jewish Folklore and Ethnology Newsletter 8/3-4:1-6.
This provides good background information about the various types of Jewish
ethnic dancing.
Ingber, Judith Brin. video
"Dancing Into Marriage: Jewish Wedding Dances" 1982.
This is the video of a workshop on
Jewish wedding dances which included Yemenite,
Persian and Eastern European dance sessions. For information about obtaining a
copy of the video please contact
Judith Brin Ingber via
http://www.jbriningber.com Also
on her page is a complete bibliography of
her writings on many aspects of Jewish dance.
Ingber, Judith Brin. "Jewish Dance in Poland Between World War I and
World War II,"
in proceedings of Society of Dance History Scholars (US) Conference,
University of Minnesota, 1996.
This article summarizes fieldwork conducted by Jacek Luminski,
and Judith Brin Ingber
among elderly Jews in Poland. It explains the various processionals which were
part of
Jewish weddings in Poland between the two world wars. Interestingly, many
different
regional meanings of the term Mitzve Tanzl are described. The term might refer
to
dances that were obligated to be danced at a wedding like the Broiges Tanz or
the Koilitch
Tanz. The mitzve tanzl might also refer to a sort of line dance that is started
by the
mother of the bride, with guests joining the line until all are dancing. In yet
another
version, the dance had 3 sections: 1)Bride and groom dance together separated by
a scarf
2) All the guests snaking around the room 3)All the guests circling the bride
and groom
who continue to dance in the middle of the circle. Other dances done by Jews in
different
parts of Poland retained the "flavour" of the dances done by their
non-Jewish neighbours,
yet were danced differently by the Jews. Such dances included the czardas, the
Cozak and serba.
Kapelye, Hopkele
This CD was produced via a collaboration
between dance master Steve Weintraub and the Kapleye
ensemble. It is a Yiddish dance Cd and every tune fits nicely to known
Yiddish dances.
Coming soon: Steve's dance descriptions.....Stay tuned!
Kaufman, Gert. No. 2 Sherele Palestine Folk Dance Series. Lion the Printer: Tel-Aviv, 1946
A choreographed version of the sher, more complex than other versions, no shining,
no threading the needle. Based upon Gurit Kadman's (Kaufman) observations of European
immigrants to Palestine. Styling more vigorous than that demonstrated in Dancing into Marriage video.
Klezmer Music: A Marriage of Heaven and
Earth. Ellipsis Arts, 1996.
This is a compilation cd that's tucked
into a book about klezmer music. There are interviews with musicians,
vintage photographs and lots of background information about the music and the
dancing.
The Patsh Tanz (Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band) is the same melody traditionally
used in folk dance groups
but is much more exciting to listen to. Working around the drum solo is a bit of
a challenge but it can be done.
There is also a version of the Broiges Tanz as part of a medley (Ray Musiker
& The Klezmatics).
I have used the Behusher Kusid (Budowitz) to do Vizonsky's Rekud or the Miztzvah
Tanz.
See the review at the Klez Shack
http://www.klezmershack.com
Kraus, Richard. Folk Dancing A Guide
for Schools, Colleges, And Recreational Groups.
New York:MacMillan Company, 1962.
A book of international folk dance
that has instructions for the Russian Sher including the thread the needle
figure.
Kugelmass, Jack and Jonathan Boyaran.
From a Ruined Garden The Memorial Books of Polish Jewry.
2nd edition. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1998.
This book contains many interesting chapters
on life before, during and after the holocaust.
Dancing is mentioned in various chapters. There is a page long description of a
wedding where the Broiges dance
was done (The Angry Dance), which gives the reader an idea of the social context
of the dance.
Lapson, Dvora. Dances of the Jewish
People. New York: Board of Jewish Education, 1954.
A time honoured reference book
with dance instructions for choreographed versions of many of the dances
e.g., Patch Tanz, Sher, Broiges Dance.
Picon, Molly. Molly! An Autobiography. New York: Simon and
Shuster,1980.
Not really much on dance but explains
but explains how Yidl with the Fidl was made.
| Pingeron, Jean-Claude,
A Jewish Act of Homage in Poland in the 18th Century
translated by Michael Aylward Thanks to Michael Aylward for discovering, translating, and sharing this document which describes an occurrence of Yiddish dancing in Poland circa 1763. We are not sure what the act of homage was about. We continue to seek further information about this event. |
Rivkind, Isaac. Klezmorim Jewish Folk Musicians
A Study in Cultural History. New York: Futuro Press,1960
This book is written in Hebrew and you
can see a pdf scan of the original
Hebrew here.
It was sent to me by the late Dick Crum. Volunteers
have been hard at work
translating the book. I would like to thank those that have put hours into
this
project and would like to dedicate this translation work to the memory of Dick
Crum.
The book is full of information about the history of klezmer and also includes a chapter
devoted to wedding dance customs.
This translation is not word for word and should be considered as an overview of
the book.
All of these files are in pdf format.
Foreword
Chapters 1-3 (a
very rough translation at this point-hoping to have this part reworked)
Chapters 4-6
(a
more accurate translation than 1-3)
Although we haven't translated each footnote, if you look at the Hebrew pdf, you
can pick out the primary
sources. Occasionally, the footnotes are in Roman characters. If you
are fluent in Hebrew and happen to
notice any translation errors,
please let me know.
Rubin, Ruth. Voices of a People The
Story of Yiddish Folksong. Philadelphia:
The Jewish Publication Society of America., 1979.
This is a fascinating book with many examples
of Yiddish songs. There is an entire chapter devoted to
wedding rituals and another devoted to dance related folk songs.
Sendry, Alfred. The Music of the Jews of the Diaspora up to 1800.
T. Yoseloff: New York, 1970.
This book has several sections that deal with dance during the
middle ages.
In the "Ghettos of Europe" chapter, the important role of dance as a
release
for pent up feelings and for exhibition is discussed. The Jewish dances of the
ghettos were unchoreographed, and kind of wild sounding. They were considered
uncouth
by the non-Jewish community; Judentantz was a derogatory term used, a
"travesty of
folk dances." The evolution of the tanzhaus, (a sort of dancehall) in
Germany is explained. Dances of that place and time were: May Day Dance,
Marching dance,
Springing Dance, Judentanz, Dance of the first Man, Dr. Foist (Faust), Fish
Dance
and the Dance of Death (popular at weddings!). Chasidic dance is explored
including an unusual custom of the followers of R. Aaron Karliner called
Kullyikes or "Rollers."
Men would roll on the ground in a dance rhythm prior to morning services, a
"saintly practice."
Vizonsky, Nathan. Ten Jewish folk
Dances a Manual for Teachers and Leaders.
Chicago: American-Hebrew Theatrical League, 1942.
This is a book of dance descriptions, sheet music and folkloric information.
Many of the dances
are choreographed for the stage so are not exactly the way they would have been
done in communities.
Dances include: Mitzvah/Kosher Dance, Broiges Dance, Beggar Dance, Chassidic
Dance,
Rekud, Simchas Torah Dance, Koilitch Dance, Fraelachs, Paatch Dance, Sherele
(very simple version).
Vizonsky, Nathan. "The Evolution
of the Jewish Folk-Dance" in The Chicago
Jewish Forum, Vol13 No. 1, Fall 1954, pp 45-50.
Further discussion of the dances
described in his book. Analysis of dance style of Eastern European
Jews, compared with Israeli dance and other European dance.
Zeitlin, Steven, AMJ Kotkin and Holly
Cutting Baker. "The Wedding Dance"
in A Celebration of Family Folklore Tales and Tradition from the
Smithsonian Collection. New York: Panteon Books, 1982.
A discussion of one family's dance traditions focusing on the Kazatske
(Cossack dance).
Yiddish Language Films
| Many films were made during the 1920's
1930's and 1940s for the Yiddish Cinema. Quite often the movies included
weddings in which there were dance scenes. According to Michael Alpert's article
"Freylekhs on Film..." some of the dances shown were good examples of
the actual dance style. Others were more theatrical interpretations. By watching
the dance sequences you get an idea of the overall styling and flavour of the
dances. What I notice most is how everyone in the freylechs scenes more or less
moves in their own way, whether by walking forwards or backwards, doing 2-steps,
or literally kicking up their heels; nevertheless, the whole group manages to
move as a unit in the same direction and nobody gets hurt! Also take note of the small spaces used for dance areas. It's virtually in someone's living room with many concentric circles of dancers moving in very close quarters. No air conditioned aerobics studios in the Old Country! These films have been re-released on video with subtitles and can easily be purchased on the internet. Be sure to compare prices. There seems to be a large difference in price from one vendor to another. If you're like me, working without funding, try contacting your local Jewish community centre. I found even in Calgary, several of these films are available for borrowing. Also, ask around; there may be people in your community who own collections of Yiddish videos that they are willing to share. In Toronto I noticed that some of the Russian video stores had Yiddish movies as did the Toronto Board of Jewish Education. The Dybbuk 1937: This famous film contains the following
dances: Yidl With the Fidl: Koilitch Dance--aka-two women and two challahs. The women sway around with the challahs as the wedding party enters the reception area. This dance does not appear to have any specific steps. Grandmother's dance--The grandmother
dances around a bit and then appears to collapse from the exertion Freylekhs--everyone gets into this dance in their own way Uncle Moses: The movie is set in America. Note that men and women dance together in the circle. The following movies are supposed to contain dance scenes but I haven't been able to view them: Mizrekh and Mayrev The Purimshpiler |
Online resources
The following links
provide interesting information on klezmer music
which helps to put the dances in context:
Der yidisher gramophone by Mike
Aylward
Discography of Early European
Recordings of Jewish Music,
Jewish Radio Broadcasts in Pre-War Europe
Source Material for Jewish Music, Yiddish and Yiddish Theatre and Translations.
Several articles include historic accounts of Yiddish dance.
http://www.yidisher-gramofon.org/
Early Recordings of Jewish Music in
Poland from Polin Volume 16, 2003
by Michael Aylward, with
additional
introductory remarks from Michael Aylward
http://www.yiddishdance.com/aylwardEarly Recordings.PDF
Proceedings of the Yiddish Dance
Symposium held Dec 9-10 2007 in New York
by Ari Davidow.
http://www.klezmershack.com/articles/071209_yiddishdancesymposium/
ChasenJah-The Jamaican
Jewish Wedding
See this delightful Jamaican/Jewish
music/dance experience. Enjoy the music of Beyond the Pale.
Jewish Music and Dance as recorded in
Yizkor books
compiled by Helen Winkler
http://www.klezmershack.com/articles/winkler/yizkorlinks.html
Jewish Musicians in Moldavia by Itsik
Svarts
(Part of Ari Davidow's Klezmer Shack--there are many other
interesting articles here at the Klezmer Shack including cd reviews)
http://www.klezmershack.com/articles/1972.moldavia.shvarts.html
Di Naye Kapelye
Di Naye Kapelye web site includes numerous articles
about Jewish musical traditions and
klezmer families in Romania. Much interesting info with more being added
all the time.
The group's cd also provides a totally
different, but captivating klezmer sound.
www.dinayekapelye.com
Interview with the band Klezmorim re:
the klezmer revival.
http://www.mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/ArtKlezmorimInterview
ROJINKES mit MANDELN (en
Français) - descriptive information on klezmer music and dance
www.borzy.info
Swedish Klezmer
Association (in Swedish) - Klezmer music and dance activities in Sweden
http://www.klezmer.nu
Historical Background Resources
Beyond the Pale-A Photo/Text exhibit
explaining the history of Eastern European Jews
Follow the “Jews in the Russian Empire” thread for information on living
conditions
during the 1800s and early 1900s.
http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/beyond-the-pale/index.html
Part of the Jewish University in
Cyberspace lecture series.
This lecture gives background on Eastern European Jewish History
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/1046/9710/971029_j.html
The following links provide additional information on yiddish dance:
Wrapping Their Feet Around the
Music-Yiddish Dance at KlezKanada
2003
http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.09.05/living2.music.html
Eastern European tunes set dancing feet
in motion-
describes how Michael Alpert collected information on the dances.
www.shamash.org/jb/bk970124/ettunes.htm
The web site for the band Brave Old
World has information about
the dance workshops that Michael Alpert conducts.
http://www.braveoldworld.com/english/
Living Traditions has workshops
about klezmer dance. Living Traditions
offers KlezKamp, a true Yiddish cultural experience (hope I get to go some day).
http://www.livingtraditions.org/
The Wholesale Klezmer Band web
site--this web site contains information on dance.
Members of this klezmer band also teach klezmer dance.
http://www.crocker.com/~ganeydn/
A Klez Act--Jacob Bloom's web page.
Jacob teaches klezmer dance.
His page includes information about klezmer dance
and gives instructions for a version of the sher.
http://www.gis.net/~bloom/
This page searches the Mendele
discussion group's archives.
There are a few postings about the Mezinke dance.
Perhaps other dance topics will be discussed in the future.
http://metalab.unc.edu/yiddish/mendeles.html/
Jewish-Music mailing list. You can
subscribe to the Jewish Music e-mail discussion group from the address below.
A
variety of musicians and non-musicians participate in this discussion group.
This group has led me to other resources.
http://lists.jmwc.org/listinfo.cgi/jewish-music-jmwc.org
Der Bay resources on Yiddish Culture
and Festival Listings
http://www.derbay.org
Contact Helen Winkler - Do
you have a dance description to share or expertise in this area?
Email: winklerh@hotmail.com